Cigar-mold



(ModeL) N. DU BRUL. CIGAR MOLD.

No. 592,627. Patented Oct. 26, 1897.

NagboleonfluBra NITED STATES- CIGAR-MOLD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,627, dated October'26, 1897.

Application filed mber 22, 1896. Serial No. 616,601. (ModeL) To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, NAPOLEON DU BRUL, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State ofOhio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cigar-Molds,of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in wooden cigar-molds, and relatesparticularly to an improved construction of the upper member of acigar-mold. Cigar-molds are generally made as a series of cavities ormatrices in which are fitted cup-plungers having the grain of the woodrunning vertically, obliquely, or horizontally of the plane of the mold.These cup-plungers are held together by a backing running across theseries of cup-plung ers which are fastened thereto. I have found thatsuch vertical and oblique cup-plungers swell, together with the backing,lengthwise of the cigar. This is caused by the dampness of the tobaccowhich is put into the mold and also by the dampness of the surroundingat mosphere. The end of the grain of the wood of such cup-plungers comesin contact with the tobacco, absorbs the moisture, and swells, so thatthe cup -plungers are considerably longer than the matrices of the mold.Further, not only do the cup-plungers swell, but

the backing to which'they are glued also swells in the direction of thelength of the cigar. In other words, the lid of the mold becomes widerand carries the cup-plungers along with it. This can be'readilyunderstood, since wood swells across the grain and practically notlengthwise of the grain when exposed to moisture. Now since thecupplungers and their backing to which they are attached are made out ofvery dry wood and since the direction of swelling is the same in both itis natural that these parts should swell together when exposed todampness, each contributing its share of assistance in this swelling. inat one or both ends it follows that with the least swelling of thecup-plungers lengthwise of the cigar the mold will bind and be very hardto open and close. This causes" the breaking of the cup-plungers andspoils the original shape of the mold and of the cigar made therein.Furthermore, the backing warps upward or downward and pulls the Thensince the cigar is drawn.

improvement, though there may be a preference of one method over anotherinapplying these layers. I may make the layers of different kinds ofwood, thus'counteracting'the swelling by different porosities andconsequently different swelling capacities; but

even if the general trend of the grain of these two layers be lengthwiseof .the mold across the cups, as at present, and even if they be of thesame kind of wood there will not be the same exact grain as when thebacking is made of only one layer. My preferable method,

however, is to run the grain of the wood in .difierent directions. Thisstops the swelling by opposing resistances, one layertending to swell inthe opposite direction from the other and so each preventing the otherfrom swelliing. I have found by experiment that by this construction thecup-plungers are prevented from swelling longer than the lower cavities,of the mold, and I have also founditliat this {construction preventsthe warping of the backing, and consequently makes a much better workingmold and a more durable one.

Inorder that my invention maybe fully understood, I will proceed todescribe'it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which--Figure I is a front view of my improved wooden cigar-mold. Fig. 11 is aperspective view of the upper member of the cigar-mold inverted. Fig.III is a detail front View on a much larger scale.

1 is the lower member, and 2 the upper member, of a wooden cigar-mold.The lower member 1 is formed with a" base-strip 3 and with amatrix-strip 4, having the usual lower cups 5 secured thereto. The uppermember 2 is formed with a top layer 6, having the grain of the woodrunning lengthwise of the mold,

and with an inner layer 7, having the grain of the wood runningcrosswise of the top layer, for the purpose already fully explained.

To the inner layer are secured the cupplungers 8. It will be seen thatin the drawings the inner layer 7, to which the cup-plungers areattached, has the grain of the wood running in the same direction as thelength of the cigar shape and the two layers of the backing have thegrain of the wood crossing each other.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An upper member for a cigar-mold consisting of a backing having twoor more layers of wood intimately united throughout their contactingsurfaces to form a solid integral structure so that one layer unites instrengthening the other layer or layers to prevent the swelling of thebacking and a series of wooden cup-plungers secured to the inner layerand held in working position and from swelling by the formation of thebacking; substantially as described.

2. An upper member for acigar-mold comprising a backing having two ormore layers of wood intimately united throughout their contactingsurfaces so that one layer unites in strengthening the other layer orlayers to prevent the swelling of the backing and a series of woodencup-plungers secured to the inner layer with the grain of the wood 011end, and held in working position and from swelling by the formation ofthe backing; substantially as described.

3. An upper member for a cigar-mold comprising a backing having two ormore layers of wood intimately united throughout their contactingsurfaces, with the grain of each layer at an angle to the grain of theother layer or layers, so that one layer unites in strengthening theother layer or layers to prevent the swelling of the backing, and aseries of wooden cup-plungers secured to the inner layer and held inworking position and from swelling by the formation of the backing;substantially as described.

1:- An upper member for a cigar-mold comprising a backing having two ormore layers of wood intimately united throughout their contactingsurfaces, with the grain of each layer at an angle to the grain of theother layer or layers, so that one layer unites in strengthening theother layer or layers to prevent the swelling of the backing, and aseries of wooden eup-plungers secured to the inner layer, with the grainof the wood 011 end, and held in working position and from swelling bythe formation of the backing; substantially as described.

5. An upper member fora cigar-mold comprising a backing having two ormore layers of wood intimately united throughout their contactingsurfaces, with the grain of the outer layer crossing the grain of theinner layer so that one layer unites in strengthening the other layer toprevent the swelling of the backing and a series of wooden cupplungerssecured to the inner layer and held in working position and fromswelling by the formation of the backing; substantially as described.

6. An upper member for a cigar-mold comprising a backing having twolayers of wood intimately united throughout their contacting surfaces,with the grain of the outer layer crossing the grain of the inner layerso that one layer unites in strengthening the other layer to prevent theswelling of the backing and a series of wooden cup-plungers secured tothe inner layer with the grain of the wood on end and held in workingposition and from swelling by the formation of the backing;substantially as described.

7. An upper member for a cigar-mold comprising a backing having twolayers of wood intimately united throughout their contacting surfaces,with the grain of the outer layer extending longitudinally of the mold,and the grain of the inner layer extending transversely of the mold, sothat one layer unites in strengthening the other layer to prevent theswelling of the backing and a series of wooden cup-plungers secured tothe inner layer with the grain of the wood on end and held in workingposition and from swelling by the formation of the backing;substantially as described.

8. An upper member for a cigar-mold comprising a backing having twolayers of wood intimately united throughout their contacting surfaces byadhesive material with the grain of the outer layer extendinglongitudinally of the mold, and the grain of the inner layer extendingtransversely of the mold, so that one layer unites in strengthening theother layer to prevent the swelling of the backing and a series ofwooden cup-plungers secured to the inner layer by adhesive material withthe grain of the wood on end and held in working position and fromswelling by the formation of the backing; substantially as described.

' NAPOLEON DU BRUL. lVitnesscs:

II. UHYRICH, E. F. DU BRUL.

